Shropshire Star

Picture of the day – March 27

On this day in 1931, Bob Lyall rode Grakle to victory.

Published

On this day in 1931, Grakle won the 90th Grand National at Aintree.

Keith Piggott – father of Lester – was expected to take the saddle, but he was ruled out having suffered a broken thigh.

Bob Lyall stood in to ride the nine-year-old, who was owned by Cecil Taylor, a cotton broker in Liverpool, and trained by Tom Coulthwaite on Cannock Chase.

Grakle set off at odds of 100/6 as a field of 43 horses looked to last the distance and land the winner’s cheque of £9,310.

There was a collision at Valentine’s Brook, when jockey Billy Payne made a gallant recovery after Big Black Boy had fallen, while Eric Foster was able to remount Gib after being brought down.

Gregalach, winner of the famous steeplechase in 1929, continued to take up the running over the second time around.

Grakle, though, edged ahead to lead into the final fence and Lyall found enough in the closing stages to hold off Gregalach by one-and-a-half lengths at the winning post. Annandale was third, with Rhyticere placing fourth.

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